Renting and Leasing

News about Renting and Leasing, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 26, 2015

Real Estate Q&A answers questions about New York City code requiring property owners to keep premises vermin-free, what to do when a landlord does not respond to requests for lease renewal, and whether a non-owner can sit on a co-op or condominium board. MORE

Jul. 8, 2015

Jim Dwyer About New York column highlights guerrilla art project aimed at drawing attention to rising commercial rents in Upper Manhattan, which has led to closure of many small businesses; project, conceived by Doug Cameron and Tommy Noonan, satirizes gentrification with signs advertising comically inflated prices. MORE

Jun. 28, 2015

Staffers preparing to work on Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, headquartered in Downtown Brooklyn, are facing formidable task of finding housing in New York City; tight real estate market and few spare rooms in city's homes combine to limit opportunities for finding 'supporter housing,' practice of locals hosting armies of young volunteers and staffers that descend each election cycle. MORE

Jun. 28, 2015

Real Estate Q&A answers questions about legal obligations of landlord to provide adequate light and ventilation, the difference between a walk-through and an inspection and whether lenders will provide co-op boards with loans to pay off interest-only mortgages before they come due. MORE

Jun. 24, 2015

Dream of home ownership remains elusive to millions of Americans, even as housing market continues robust recovery; homeownership rate has declined over past eight years to low of 63.7 percent, as average rental cost has risen significantly, further squeezing finances; contributing factors include difficult job market and heavy student loan burden. MORE

Jun. 21, 2015

Start-ups offering end-to-end short-term rental management are springing up across country, helping create a seamless process for anyone who wants to rent out their home for a brief time; services include bookings, storage of belongings, and cleaning before and after tenants arrive. MORE

Jun. 14, 2015

Ginia Bellafante Big City column notes that New York Gov Andrew Cuomo has taken vague and unpopular stand on rent regulation issues and that his approval ratings have dropped since legislation on 421-a tax abatement program has stalled in Legislature. MORE

Jun. 14, 2015

Manhattan's residential real estate includes about 100 buildings, mostly co-ops, that are built on leased land; units in these buildings tend to cost less, and monthly common charges do not include real estate taxes; rental payments for the land, however are part of monthly fees, and sharp rise in land prices has some co-op apartment owners worried about potential for a correspondingly hefty hike in their payments. MORE

Jun. 14, 2015

Sky, block-long rental tower on Manhattan's Far West Side designed by Rockwell Group, will offer 1,175 apartments, possibly highest number in any single residential tower in the country; developers are packing in 70,000 square feet of amenities as well, boasting a Turkish bath and a basketball court. MORE

Jun. 14, 2015

Real Estate Q&A answers questions about handling threats and harassment from a neighbor in a co-op building, seller's obligations to communicate other offers with potential buyers and fair fees when management must replace a tenant's lost building key card. MORE

Jun. 7, 2015

Real Estate Q&A on living in New York City apartment that shares wall with noisy gym, evicting adult son and rent increases due to capital improvements on building. MORE

May. 31, 2015

May. 17, 2015

Ginia Bellafante Big City Column notes citywide problem of rising rents and gentrification and points out that newly-elected New York State Assemblywoman Diana Richardson ran her entire campaign on issue of perils of development and need for affordable rental housing. MORE

May. 17, 2015

Real Estate Q&A answers questions about mouse infestation, responsibilities of landlord for structural integrity in a rental apartment, and living in a rent-stabilized apartment while owning other property. MORE

Apr. 12, 2015

New York City's exorbitant real estate prices have driven some couples to live with one or more roommates; while most married couples say motivation to live with roommates is mostly financial, others claim to like communal living, but most agree a sense of humor is essential. MORE

Apr. 5, 2015

High-end rental developers in New York City are offering a wide range of exclusive amenities, from wine tastings to event tickets and reservations at some of city's hottest restaurants, to lure in new tenants and entice existing residents to renew their leases. MORE

Mar. 29, 2015

Mar. 22, 2015

Real Estate Q&A on lease obligations for departed roommate, using rent-stabilized apartment for temporary home-swap and rules regarding early payoff of a co-op loan. MORE

Mar. 12, 2015

Megyer Journal; entire village of Megyer, Hungary, which has permanent population of 18, is available for travelers to rent for price of $700 per night; idea, hatched by Mayor Kristof Pajer, allows renters to become unofficial deputy mayors for duration of stay and even have official street signs to take home; news about the initiative has attracted widespread attention across Europe. MORE

Mar. 10, 2015

The Appraisal column; Caroline Cromelin and Paul Williams are battling their landlord's attempt to evict them after refusing to let workers place drywall over windowed air shafts in their already darkened Upper East Side apartment; landlord had begun sealing up shafts throughout the building to avoid receiving fines from Building Dept for maintenance failure. MORE

Mar. 4, 2015

Private equity firms Colony Capital, Blackstone Group and Cerberus Capital Management have committed some $1.5 billion to hundreds of small real estate funds that in turn are buying up single-family homes and converting them to rentals; all three firms are preparing to bundle so-called 'landlord loans' into bonds; strategy is aimed at capitalizing on recovery of housing market. MORE

Mar. 1, 2015

Real Estate Q&A on how to properly clear snow from apartment terraces, who is responsibe for window maintenance in co-ops and renovation rules in rent-stabilized apartments. MORE

Feb. 25, 2015

Census Bureau reports that median residential rent in New York City has risen 3.4 percent over past three years while median household income has risen only 1.1 percent; says about 30 percent of city's renters pay at least half of income on housing. MORE

Feb. 22, 2015

Airbnb is struggling to replicate its worldwide success in Japan, which has society that is resistant to foreigners and risk-taking; company has dispatched researchers to see why the few Japanese hosts who have signed up with site are so amenable to the service, and whether they can use that information to make it more appealing to more Japanese people. MORE

Feb. 15, 2015

Real Estate Q&A on whether a landlord can obligate a tenant to heat their apartment at their own cost, and whether there is an obligation to pay rent through end of lease despite agreement with landlord. MORE

Feb. 15, 2015

Stephanie Rosenbloom The Getaway column examines some vacation rental sites for those with specific requirements that may be competing with old standbys like Airbnb. MORE

Feb. 8, 2015

Real Estate Q&A on misleading digital listings, trash presenting a fire hazard in a condominium and the pros and cons of updating one's certificate of occupancy. MORE

Feb. 1, 2015

Real Estate Q&A answers questions about invasive security cameras in a rental apartment building and whether a condominium board can institute high fees for renting out apartments. MORE

Jan. 25, 2015

New York City is seeing influx of rental apartments with all types of amenities and shared space but developers are shrinking size of units; many are creating studios that are 50 square feet smaller than average, but piling on perks in hopes of keeping rents competitive. MORE

Jan. 21, 2015

New York City Council hearing focusing on enforcement of state laws on short-term apartment rentals pits proponents of services like Airbnb against those who say such rentals are nuisance and drive out low-income residents. MORE

Jan. 4, 2015

The Hunt column on search by Brian and Stephanie Cashin for one-bedroom rental apartment for mid-$3,000's; found one-bedroom at the Westport in far West 50s for $3,810 per month. MORE

Dec. 28, 2014

Real Estate Q&A on New York City laws and regulations concerning death of a tenant in a rent-controlled apartment, subletting and handling noise from neighbors in a rent-stabilized building. MORE

Dec. 23, 2014

Tranquilina Alvillar returns to her second-floor apartment at 193 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, after more than three years; Housing Court judge ruled that market-rate tenant inhabiting her renovated apartment be evicted. MORE

Dec. 15, 2014

Stockholm is attracting fast-growing tech start-ups but its housing shortage poses problems for engineers needing rental apartments; clash between booming tech industry and housing restrictions is common in other major technology hubs worldwide. MORE

Dec. 6, 2014

Ron Lieber Your Money column explores limitations of Airbnb's free $1 million liability coverage; notes coverage is secondary, meaning company wants its users to push any claims for guests' injuries and deaths through their own insurance companies first; observes most homeowner's and renter's insurance policies do not cover regular commercial activity in the home. MORE

Dec. 3, 2014

Letter from Julian Castro, secretary of Department of Housing and Urban Development, comments on Nov 30 editorial underscoring need for lawmakers to create conditions under which middle- and lower-income Americans can sustain homeownership. MORE

Dec. 1, 2014

Rachel L Swarns The Working Life column; Neil Mendeloff, who was forced to out of his East Village garden supply store Plantworks because of soaring rent, has relocated his business to First Avenue, where rents are manageable and customer demand is high. MORE

Nov. 30, 2014

Editorial highlights study by researchers at Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University examining why net worth of homeowners significantly outpaces that of renters over time; contends housing bust should underscore need for conditions under which middle- and lower-income Americans can sustain homeownership; calls for policies that lift wages, as well as approaches to managing economy to ensure fair share of growth goes to wages. MORE

Nov. 23, 2014

App City column; app MatchPad is aimed at pairing New York City renters based on how they rate themselves on issues like extroversion and cleanliness; app serves as an alternative for those unnerved by prospect from renting from a stranger via sources like Craigslist. MORE

Nov. 21, 2014

Sugar Hill Development in Upper Manhattan begins filling up with 124 low-income families fortunate enough to be selected in lottery for one of building's affordable rental units; over 48,000 families applied for apartments at Sugar Hill, underscoring New York City's dearth of affordable housing. MORE

Nov. 19, 2014

Hong Kong property costs continue to soar, with city being one of most expensive places in world to live; even once improbable living spaces, like 275-square-foot microflats, are getting snapped up at astronomical prices and rents are skyrocketing; many young people worry about having place of their own, and some analysts say market could stumble. MORE

Nov. 17, 2014

Airbnb will introduce its new quarterly magazine Pineapple at its convention for hosts, people who rent rooms or apartments to travelers; magazine, which contains no advertising, will offer features on cities popular with Airbnb hosts and guests. MORE

Nov. 5, 2014

Editorial contends there is no reason that creative business models like that of Airbnb cannot be regulated; calls on New York City officials to crack down on clearly illegal activity, but to allow more benign forms of apartment sharing; posits that landlords and co-op boards may have to serve as another line of defense in ensuring that Airbnb model is not exploited by illegal operators, given the city's limited resources. MORE

Nov. 1, 2014

Floyd Norris Off the Charts column notes Census Bureau report shows that homeownership rate continues to decline, as more Americans are preferring to rent; examines reasons why consumers are not lining up to buy homes. MORE

Oct. 31, 2014

Fortune Society, leading provider of social services for recently released prisoners, files lawsuit against owners and managers of the Sand Castle rental complex in Far Rockaway, Queens; suit contends that complex's policy of not renting to people with criminal records, which disproportionately affects black and Latino men, violates the federal Fair Housing Act and New York State Law. MORE

Oct. 29, 2014

Eduardo Porter Economic Scene column contends that making meaningful reform to the financial system could require Americans to reconsider the assumption that homeownership is good for the economy; holds that tightening mortgage rules would make it more difficult to buy and sell homes, and would lead to more renters, but might be worth it. MORE

Oct. 29, 2014

Commerce Department reports that homeownership in United States fell to near 20-year low in third quarter, 64.4 percent, as more Americans turn to renting; data offers sign that housing has yet to recover from effects of recession. MORE

Oct. 28, 2014

Op-Ed article by freelance writer Reni Eddo-Lodge bemoans London's inflated housing market, in which average residents are paying nearly-three fifths of their monthly income on rent; holds shortage of affordable housing has produced an unashamedly stratified city, in which a small group of capitalists are profiting as the majority scramble to make ends meet. MORE

Oct. 26, 2014

Renters seeking new apartments in Lincoln Square have had slim pickings for a few years, but several new towers will bring nearly 2,000 units to area by 2016; Glenwood Management opened Hawthorn Park at 160 West 62nd Street, first large-scale rental building in neighborhood since about 2010; it will be joined by 256 rental units at 175 West 60th Street, which is also being developed by Glenwood. MORE

Oct. 26, 2014

Lisa Prevost Mortgages column on research by real estate website Trulia finding that homeownership is less expensive than renting in all of the country’s 100 largest metropolitan areas; advantage narrows considerably, however, when the home buyer uses a low-down-payment loan insured by Federal Housing Administration. MORE

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